Why do Non-Runners Claim Running is Bad for Your Knees?

Bad Wigins wrote:

there are no runners with bad knees because people with bad knees give up running.

Not necessarily Wigins...ever heard of Dick Beardsley? Beardsley suffered from severe knee arthritis and ultimately had bi-lateral total knee replacements. He's been running on the replacements now for several years and can hit up to 50 mpw and has evenraced a HM! Wow...just wow! A must read!

Arthritic Old Stiff wrote:

Bad Wigins wrote:

there are no runners with bad knees because people with bad knees give up running.

Not necessarily Wigins...ever heard of Dick Beardsley? Beardsley suffered from severe knee arthritis and ultimately had bi-lateral total knee replacements. He's been running on the replacements now for several years and can hit up to 50 mpw and has evenraced a HM! Wow...just wow! A must read!

https://www.outsideonline.com/2182356/dick-beardsley-61-and-minus-two-knees-runs-better-you

He should race Alberto next year in Boston.

This thread reminds me of all the people who tell me they are NOT changing their children's diet for sports/running, etc because it's "over-the-top". It's always people who love their food a little too much. Yes, I control my children's diet. They cannot have junk all day every day and I don't have snacks in my home because the school gives them enough crap as it is.

Or I'll get those people who say healthy food is too expensive. It's a heck of a lot cheaper than seeing the Dr. for diabetes or whatever other medical ailments they all have.

awesome blossom wrote:

Serious question. Why haven't I met a single runner with bad knees but people who don't run seem to have met enough to be so confident about this? Are there any professional runners with knee problems?

Bad form. A guy I worked with ran with his feet splayed out, like a duck. He claims he quit running because of his knees. Than he told me that running is bad for you, ruins your body. He said I would get knee problems eventually. Yeah right.

It's an excuse people use to not run and denigrate your running lifestyle. End of story.

Never had a knee problem. wrote:

awesome blossom wrote:

Serious question. Why haven't I met a single runner with bad knees but people who don't run seem to have met enough to be so confident about this? Are there any professional runners with knee problems?

Bad form. A guy I worked with ran with his feet splayed out, like a duck. He claims he quit running because of his knees. Than he told me that running is bad for you, ruins your body. He said I would get knee problems eventually. Yeah right.

It's an excuse people use to not run and denigrate your running lifestyle. End of story.

Ed Whitlock had great form and bad knees. Another oldster pushing 80 now has terrible form and structure and his knees are fine.

Sand Dunes wrote:

Arthritic Old Stiff wrote:

Not necessarily Wigins...ever heard of Dick Beardsley? Beardsley suffered from severe knee arthritis and ultimately had bi-lateral total knee replacements. He's been running on the replacements now for several years and can hit up to 50 mpw and has evenraced a HM! Wow...just wow! A must read!

https://www.outsideonline.com/2182356/dick-beardsley-61-and-minus-two-knees-runs-better-you

He should race Alberto next year in Boston.

He might! I saw him last week running on a training run at a camp he was speaking at.

Saywhat2 wrote:

awesome blossom wrote:

Serious question. Why haven't I met a single runner with bad knees but people who don't run seem to have met enough to be so confident about this? Are there any professional runners with knee problems?

They are idiots and running is work so it must be bad for the fatties.

Agree though every time a person tell me running is bad they hobble around and only people I see having knee replacements is non athletic people...I semi blame the lazy doctors to who say if it hurts when you run don't run...Enabling the lazy behavior.

Arthritic Old Stiff wrote:

ever heard of Dick Beardsley? Beardsley suffered from severe knee arthritis and ultimately had bi-lateral total knee replacements. He's been running on the replacements now for several years and can hit up to 50 mpw and has evenraced a HM! Wow...just wow! A must read!

that only means he has good knees again.

bad knees => can't run

can run => not bad knees.

Well, this is not only his merit, he will still have problems even with new knees, since the initial problem is in the feet, while running it is very shock absorbing and gets a good blow through the lower leg, but to avoid this, you need to use good running shoes https://perfectshoesforyou.com/best-running-shoes-for-bad-knees/, such a plan shoes will keep your joints from injuries.

Same reasons that non-walkers find excuses never to walk anywhere.

This is an old thread... and my old story about knee problems.

In 1995, I was diagnosed with right knee problems. I used a taping technique to pull the kneecap over while I ran so it would track properly. A year or so later, I switched to ChoPat knee straps that forced the kneecap to run in its proper grove. About 5 years later, it dawned on me that my kneecap not tracking properly was a form problem. I switched from severe heel striker to forefoot running and my knee problems went away. I continued to wear ChoPats for a couple more years and finally tried running without them. I was cured.

In my opinion, most non-tramatic... i.e., not torn ACL, meniscus, MCL, etc... are caused by poor shoes and/or poor running form combined with runners being too undisciplined to stop and assess potential injuries before they get worse.

Runners are hardwired to "run through the pain." It's a badge of honor to brag about finishing a run or a race after an injury. This is stupid and shows a lack of self-discipline and loss of perspective of the bigger goals.

Countless times, I've heard this story. "I was two miles into my run when I felt this twinge in my knee. It hurt, but I hobbled along to finish my 10-mile run. The next day, my knee was so swollen! It's been two weeks and I still can't run!"

You really, really have to listen to your body and take potential injuries seriously.

Finishing a workout today is never more important than avoiding exacerbation of an injury that could keep you from running for the next six weeks!

Everyone can meet problem with knees. I hthink that good pair of sneakers can minimaze bad influence on knees.

awesome blossom wrote:

Serious question. Why haven't I met a single runner with bad knees but people who don't run seem to have met enough to be so confident about this? Are there any professional runners with knee problems?

For the same reason fat people are complaining about the Pelaton ad.

Jealousy.

Or some non-traumatic knee injuries could be caused by poor genetics, biomechanics issues and not being built for running. And with post-traumatic osteoarthritis there's no shoes or running form that's going to correct it.

I'm late 50s with MRI-confirmed OA in two joints; one knee & ankle. Both are post-traumatic; the knee from a partial ACL tear I sustained playing college football back in the early 80s and the ankle from a complete PTT rupture sustained in a race about 5 yrs ago. Nothing much will change the dynamics of these pathologies and my running has already been scaled back significantly with no racing or anything too intense.

The statement "Running is Bad for Your Knees" would indicate that most people that run frequently will issues with their knees.

From this thread alone, it seems like knee problems are usually the exception, not the rule.

If you said that running was bad for your lower legs, it may be a different discussion.

Most runners seem to eventually have some issue with shins, calves, achilles or feet.

Anyone here never had any lower leg pain?

I've never had knee pain from running but had all of the above lower leg issues.

When you are a heel striker, running is bad for your knees, no doubt about that. Now, imagine that heel striker without shoes and cushioning, ramming his heels into the ground. That would be even worse. Like Fred Flintstone braking his vehicle.

Noelleon wrote:

When you are a heel striker, running is bad for your knees, no doubt about that. Now, imagine that heel striker without shoes and cushioning, ramming his heels into the ground. That would be even worse. Like Fred Flintstone braking his vehicle.

Heel striking may put more load on the knees but it also puts less load on the ankle joint & Achilles.

My knees are fine but have OA in one ankle from an acute PTT rupture (post-traumatic osteoarthritis), and also sustained a partial Achilles tear on the other foot (all compliments of racing in spikes in my 50s). Therefore, I heel strike to be able to do any kind of running (and heel striking feels more natural to me anyway).

At my age (59) with these pathologies, the name of the game is to find something that works to allow somekind of running.

Just an old beat up runner wrote:

Heel striking may put more load on the knees but it also puts less load on the ankle joint & Achilles.

We're talking only knees here ;-)